For those who know dogs.

[elfendom1]

Can't find a pets forum. I have a springer spaniel. I've had three before him and maybe it's my age but this guy is a good man but a strange one. He is unfettered and yet anxious at both ends of the spectrum. He is not a working dog. He roams free 2 days a week (on a farm) and howls non stop when any family member leaves the house. He is bright but probably should be left on the farm. However that is not possible, for several reasons.

Now I want to introduce a terrier, a Jack Russell to be specific. I am going to get hate, I think. Very bad idea? If not male/female/ neutered/un-neutered? He is a full male. I know this breed better and love them and had great springers before with appropriate exercise levels. But I think this fella has beaten me. He is never put in kennels and is never aggressive, just wired. Is adding a pup to the mix going to be a bad thing?

Doesn’t sound like you live on the farm. How come your dog spends two days per week there? What do you mean by “anxious on both ends of the spectrum”?

A bit more about his behaviour and living conditions would help, and try posting in the sub-forum on here called The Dog House

Try getting your post moved to the dog house posters can advise you, also if you are on Facebook there is a great spaniel group. TRAINING SPANIELS WITH REWARD BASED TRAINING. The woman who runs it is a gundog trainer she runs free workshops online. I have a jobless Working cocker spaniel so they need some work.

Tbh I amnot really sure what your issue is do you want help with your springer or just wanting to know if it will be fine as is but with a new dog?

So you have one dog you seem to be struggling with and think should live in a farm and want to get another dog? And a pretty unpredictable, tricky breed at that? I've known a lot of jack Russells and they can be angels or demons. I'd get dog 1 in a good place before even considering dog 2.

Yes, this if you are struggling with 1 you probably shouldn't get another.

Be a good dog owner and sort the first ones issues before adding some other dog.

Training, mental stimulation etc. Every day.

The per forum for dogs is called ‘the doghouse’.
I don’t like Jack Russells - barky, nippy and reactive is how I’d describe every one I’ve come across. But as PP say, deal with the dog you have first.

I have dogs, but not spaniels. However if your dog is struggling with behavioural issues, regardless of breed, surely you work to solve those first? Would bringing another dog into the mix right now be fair on either of them?

Your current dog sounds like it has separation anxiety, which you need to work on before you think about getting another dog.
Whilst a 2nd dog may help your 1st (along with training) it would need to be the right breed and tbh a jack Russel puppy is not the right dog for your springer.
Really before you even consider getting another dog please speak to your vet about local behavioural classes and get your springer some training.

So your dog should be left on a farm has problems and you want to add another dog before fixing your first dogs problems? Selfish.

what’s currently being done to help the spaniel with his anxiety.

Have you worked with a behaviourist, and what have you put in place so far to help him?

What does his typical week look like? From the post, I wonder whether the two days at the farm are doggy day care or time with family,
What is his exercise like?
Is it mainly lead walking on roads, or does he get plenty of opportunities to do the things spaniels are bred for sniffing, exploring and running so he can properly decompress and use some of that mental and physical energy?

Adding another dog can sometimes help an anxious dog if the new dog is confident and has a good temperament. But it can just as easily make things harder, so I wouldn’t assume that another dog will solve the anxiety.
You would also have to consider male vs female and then who gets neutered?
It's not recommended to neuter anxious dogs as the lack of testosterone can make it worse.

You may take some of this advice on board, or you may decide it isn’t for you, and that’s completely your choice. But personally I would say you need to put more time and effort into the current dogs training before you consider bringing another dog into the family.

I am an experienced dog owner particularly with both breeds. Sometimes a personality come along in humans and dogs that just I don't know, what is wrong. He doesn not care for rewards, either toys or food.

'Be a good dog owner and sort the first ones issues before adding some other dog.
Training, mental sti.mulation etc. Every day.
' supercilious. I asked for help.

It is my farm, but due to work, I can't live all the time on the farm. Nobody can leash walk him, he has pulled so hard he has broken 3 collars. He has had 3 trainers. I guess some people will say I'd sort him out in 2 weeks. I think there is a part missing. I have had several springers over time, this is extra. I am thinking maybe a companion would help. But that companion would be a jack russell.

Get hate? Hmmm, so you know you’re wrong in what’s going on and want you want to do. You have a dog that you can’t look after, haven’t bothered training and that has issues but you want to get another dog. I cannot possibly say want I want to say because it would be deleted. Don’t have any pets, ever, that would be only postable my advice to you.

edit to add, not good trainers then!

That is my question, I don't need advice on the springer. I can guarantee you no-one could take him on, no matter how good you think you are.

Completely bamboozled by the OPs post, approach and attitude and not even sure what her question is ... 🫠

I think she's asking if it is a good idea to get a second dog. I'd say no, it isn't, personally.

If you can't handle your current dog, why on earth would you think it was a good idea to add a second into the mix?

I think the problem is with separation anxiety is they’re completely human focused. I had a springer who had zero interest in other dogs, was human obsessed.

The only thing that worked (and it took ages) was leaving the house for a few minutes, ignoring on departure, ignoring on return. And building up in time to the time you need. He has to learn to trust you’re coming back.

I left an iPhone recording to see if he could cope with it, any howling and I took the time down and restarted.

I literally started with 30 seconds. Basically made him get used to me pottering round the car and the front garden.

that is ok, I am going back to my post as to why it has annoyed people so much. I supposeit is this line'. He is unfettered and yet anxious at both ends of the spectrum. '. So maybe I haven't articulated it well. He has seperation anxiety, yes.

Because he could refocus.

Separation anxiety can be ‘trained’ out. But takes a lot of time, energy and patience and can take months and months.

another dog in the mix won’t sort this out

Thank you. He is very human focused and well I thought maybe to have a buddy. This is a few years of consideration. My preferred breed is jack russells. He gets his exercise. I feel he needs more.

He could "refocus"??????

WTF do you mean by that?

He has had 3 seperate trainers all with different approaches. And I must reiterate I have owned 3 springers before him, none who needed this.

This is a few years of consideration

What do you mean? You've had him years??